Unlike other media attention Bremerton has received recently,
freelance writer Lawrence W. Cheek doesn’t dwell on the “Land
Before Time” Bremerton. No comparisons to Compton or Harlem, no
references to the overwhelming bleakness before Starbucks.

But that’s not the reason for Cheek’s story. It’s not a “come to
Bremerton, eat at Taco Del Mar” piece. Cheek believes “mighty but
cumbersome” Seattle, with its shameful history as a city once full
of people who worked real jobs, can learn a thing or two from
Bremerton.

What can Seattle learn from humble Bremerton?

Well, he admits it’s apples and oranges to compare the two, but
that doesn’t stop him.

“Mark another reason comparisons may be unfair” between the two
cities, Cheek notes, arguing why Seattle shouldn’t feel too envious
of Bremerton’s shiny new waterfront. “No Seattle process in
Bremerton.”

It’s kind of a backhanded compliment. Another word for “process”
is public participation.

Of Economic Development Director Gary Sexton, Cheek says: “He
dodged committees and commissions.” Not a nice thing to say.

Why is Cheek dragging Bremerton into the fight over the Seattle
waterfront? Is he irked that he isn’t getting his way and is forced
to endure the “relentless roar” of Highway 99? Does he long for a
latter day Richard J. Daley?

Cheek also sounds a little bothered that much of the prime
Bremerton real estate was “long ago gobbled by the naval shipyard.”
Which, by the way, is the backbone of the local economy.

I’m no historian, but am I wrong in assuming that when PSNS
“gobbled” up precious waterfront there wasn’t much Bremerton to
speak of? Would it be presumptuous to think that Bremerton would be
radically different if PSNS “ungobbled” its waterfront? What would
that look like? Wait, wait, don’t answer that question.

What does this have to do with Seattle? Not sure. The Seattle
waterfront is one of the best in the country. (It used to be better
before they butchered Myrtle Edwards Park in the name of “art,” but
the viaduct still provides even the lowliest among us a chance to
take in a million dollar view). Seattle has its revitalization,
it’s been going on since Nirvana bumped Michael Jackson from the
top of the charts in January, 1992 (Corrected from 1991 – Binion).
Why would they want less or a different “process?” Their “process”
got them this far.

The good news is, I guess, when the yuppies finally overrun
Seattle like swarms of locusts in North Face fleeces, maybe
Bremerton will inherit the artists and musicians and thinkers who
made Seattle attractive to yuppies in the first place.

Then we’ll take on the Navy, PSNS will become our viaduct. We’ll
start a petition and tell them that having the shipyard on the
waterfront makes too much noise and isolates Bremertonians from
their shoreline.

I mean, the Navy doesn’t need to have its shipyard right on the
waterfront, right? Can’t they just move to Ellensburg, or
something?